Machine for cutting transverse slots across strips of material



y 1952 A. A'. KNlFF 2,602,477

I MACHINE FOR CUTTING TRANSVERSE SLOTS ACROSS STRIPS 0F MATERIAL .4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 1, 1949 INV R.

AUGUST A. K/V/FF Mae.

ATTORNEY July 8, 1952 2,602,477

A. A. KNlFF MACHINE FOR CUTTING TRANSVERSE SLOTS ACROSS STRIPS OF MATERIAL 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 1, 1949 INVENTOR. AUGUST A. KN/FF A770 NEY July 8, 1952 Filed Aug. 1. 1949 FIG. 4.

A. KNIFF MACHINE FOR CUTTING TRANSVERSE SLOTS ACROSS STRIPS 0F MATERIAL 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. AUGUST A. KN/FF BY FIG. /2. m

ATTORNE July 8, 1952 2,602,477

A. A. KNIFF MACHINE FOR CUTTING TRANSVERSE SLOTS ACROSS STRIPS OF MATERIAL 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 1, 1949 INVENTOR. AUGUST A. KNIFF Patented July 8, 1952 -MACHINET'UR "SLOTS ACROS S CUTTING TRANSVERSE "STRIPS OF .MATEEIAL August .A.. Knifi, 'SaniDirnas, Calif. Application-August 1, 1949, Serial No.107,869

12VClaims.

' This invention relates to machines for making special cuts, and is especially adapted for cutting the 'ties'for the tracks of model railroad'roadbeds. In' model railroad constructions,it is acommon practice 1 to provide strips or lengths of roadbed of wood or the like, and to make latera'l cuts across 'the strips at spaced distances 'apart' so thatthe material whichis leftresembles the ties of the 'railroadbed. The tracks are "then laid over. these ties. "The making of these cuts'requires "many cutting 1 operations; and for this reasoniitis desired to make :the cuts on a machine which :cando it with great rapidity.

:In accordance with my present invention, I provide'such'a machine capable of makingcsuch cuts with great :facility,. rapidity and accuracy.

-The mechanism comprises :a guideand-feeding mechanism for progressing the strips intermit- .tently.i,into the path Iof a reciprocating saw'or saws. .Correlationtis :provided between the saw strokesaand theintermitttent rstriprieeding mechanism so that the-sawcuts are madewhileithe stripior work piece :is at rest betweeninterrhittent-motions.

- r A feature of therconstruction ".isithei guideiand feeding" :rol-ler smeans :for "advancing 117113 work piece.

Anotherieatureris the "provision'of means for :adjusting the cutiof :the saw;

-: An-optionalwfeature is the provision ofJmeans for guiding curved :strips; suitable :for making curved track.

.The foregoing andotherz fe'aturesofithemechanism' will be better" understood from :the'. following detailed description .andfthe:accompanying .drawings of which:

Fig-r1115 a plan 'view 'of a'machinezaccording to my invention;

z-Fig. z2' is a crossesection plan view taken-"at line Figr 3-showsa machine; V

Fig. 4 is "an elevation view of the machine 7 taken from pposite :aside from that shown rin Fi g 3; I I I Fig. 5 is an end elevation view of the'machine; Fig. 6 (Sheet ,3) is .a detail view partially in cross-section showing the constructionofa-work ,piece advancing wheel used in' the machine;

Fig. 7 is a cross-section view taken at' line Fig- 8 (Sheet 2) isa perspective view'of a strip 'ofstraight track made lav-"the machine;

Figf9lis a plan view .illustrating'a vportion of the machine and showing- 'the position of the side elevation *view of the straight-edge "I3 and is mechanism when the machine is working on :curved 7 strips 'Fig. 510 iszsaacross-section view taken at line inf-k850i Fig. 1; and including the curved-strip and guide ofFig. 9,'which is not shown -in-=Fig.: 1;

:Fig. :11 is a perspective view of azse'ction 10f curvedtrack :bedrmade by the machine; and

QFigJIZ (Sheetiii is:a plan view illustratingfthe position of: the ."mechanism when the machine-is working on straightlstrips.

Referringto the drawings,"the machine isvbuilt on a framealo comprising fours solid legs H :pro- 'vided' with :sufiicient reinforcement to make the frame :stable when the sawing operation is proigressing. Aflat table 1.2 isiplaced ontop of-ithe :frame,2and:on topof this table there islpl'aceda :fastenedftoztheitable bysuitable bolts or screws :rolleruasseniblys-l I; comprising an idler .roller Me :the pin Mb :of-whichisheldiby amember' I 40' supl3a. There tis-v placed over the straight-edge 1:31.81

ported by :a stud Md which passes through "bound inzany angular position by a thumb screw Me, which tightens ..the roller assembly members We andr Md: against a guide [03; so thattlieir'oller can besetito'i'hold beneath it, "on thetablefawork .piece r'shownz'as 'ithexstrip iili5.

linrthei'drawings "of the:mai'chine, and asehown :in the detail views ofxFigs. 9, I0 and 11, the strip fbeing-toperated "on'iis a rcurved" strip for "use in making curved track; and the "arrangement .is "accordingly shown "set up .for thistparticular operation. :It' should be understood however, :thatiit .can. also-operate Ion straight strips.- The curved strip-10f wood i5 is "set with its edge against the icurved guide fl3,'ia;S shown in Figs. '9 and 10; 'and the curvature of the guide conforms with the curvature of "the' work piece $.i5 so that the la'tter'can be advancedalong the guide.

For the purpose of moving the work piece "along the guide to progress it to di'fierentiposi- 'tions'for 'cutting, there is provided a wheel 16 which'zmay have peripheral teeth or rid H "which :bear on the top of the work piece strip 'sothat wheniithe wheel turns, the strip .ismoved beneaththewheel along'it's' guide; and to facilitate this movemenuthere is provided an idling roller [8 freely rotatablein-bearings in a support .1 9 mounted to the under side of thetable, and this roller protrudes up through an opening [9a in the top of thetable so that the top of the "roller is justabove the-level of the' tableand engages the underside ot-the workpiece.

Transverse cuts are made across the work piece by circular saws 20, of which four are shown placed parallel to each other and spaced somewhat apart. These are mounted on a shaft 2! which is journaled on a carrier 22 provided with openings or bearings of square cross section adapted to slide along square cross section guide bars 23 which are mounted on brackets I65 mounted on respective adjustable plungers 89 and 90. To rotate the saws, there is provided an electric motor 24 which drives a belt 25 coupled with the belt pulley 26 fastened to the saw shaft 2|. To provide for a uniform tension on the belt, the motor is mounted on a base member 21 pivoted to the frame at 28 so that due to the weight of the motor on the board, the base 21 will tend to be rotated downward to keep the belt taut. In case the motor is of excessive weight for the amount of belt tension desired, there may be provided a tension spring 29 tending to lift the base 2! upward somewhat.

The saws are located at such a level that the saw teeth will pass through the under part of the work piece I5 to make transverse cuts I06 of the type shown in Fig. 11, which shows a length of the work piece turned upside down. Thus, each time the four saws move forwardly they will make four cuts, and each time they move backwardly, they will make four more cuts. Between each series of cuts, the work piece will be advanced, so that all the cuts are evenly spaced.

To provide for the operation of the saws, there is provided an elongated opening at I06 in the top of the table I2 and of sufficient width to accommodate the upper parts of the four saws; and this opening I 06 is covered by. a suitable cover I01 which may be held in place by a suitable wing nut I08. The opening I06 and its cover, are long enough to accommodate the stroke of the saws. The forward end of the cover is open and directed toward the guide I03, and to enable the saws to travel through the work piece within the guide, the guide is provided with a corresponding cut-out I03a aligned with the opening or slot I06. See Fig. 10.

To reciprocate the rotating saw wheels, there is provided a rod 30 pivoted to the saw carriage at 3| and operated from a crank 32 on a fly wheel 33 which is fixed on a shaft 34. The throwof the crank is adjustable by means of guides 32a on wheel 33' so that the pivot point 32 can be adjusted relativeto the center of the wheel and thus regulate the linear travel of the saw carriage along its guides. There is also fixed to shaft 34, a belt wheel 35 driven from a wheel 36 on a shaft 31 by a belt 38. A large wheel 39, also fastens to shaft 31, and is driven by a belt 40 from a pulley 4|, fastened to the shaft of an electric motor 42. An idler 43 freely rotatable on a shaft 44 is provided to tension the belt :38; andfor this purpose the idler shaft 44 is fixed to an arm 45, pivoted to the frame at 46. Adjustment of the tension of the belt is provided by a rod 41 freely mounted on rod 44 and provided with notches 48 which engage a fixed detent 49.

Changing the notch engaging the detent alters the tension on belt 38. If desired, a tension spring 50 may be used to counterbalance the weight of the idler assembly 43.

By this arrangement, the motor 42 thus reciprocates the saw assembly so that each time the saws move forward or backward they make their respective cuts in the work piece.

Mechanism is provided to advance the work piece during the intervals between the successive cuts. This comprises a cam 5| fastened on shaft 34, the cam having two oppositely disposed high spots. The cam follower is in the form of a roller 52 on the end of a lever arm 53 and pivoted to the frame at 54. A link 55 has its lower end pivoted at 56 at the remote end of lever 53, and its upper end pivoted at 51 to an arm 58 of a bell crank which in turn is pivoted at 59 and has pivoted to its upper arm, 60 a reciprocating arm 6|, having a notching finger 62 which engages the teeth of a gear wheel 63. To adjust for the I number of teeth which are notched per stroke I of the notching arm, adjustment is provided.

- This adjustment comprises the longitudinal slot 64 in the arm 60 of the bell crank so that the position of pivot point 65 can be adjusted relaspindle held on an arm tive to the bell crank pivot 59. In order to prevent backlash, there is provided a pawl 66. The pawl is mounted on a member 61, the height of which can be adjusted by an adjusting screw 68 provided with lock nuts 69 to adjust the position of'the pawl relative to the teeth. In order to insure accurate notching of wheel 63, in the event of backlash or play in the linkages 52 to 60 there maybe provided a tension spring II9 to take up such backlash.

Gear wheel 63 is mounted on a shaft 10 journaled through a bearing II mounted on a standard 12. A shaft 14 is coupled to' shaft 10 through a universal joint 15 and another universal joint 16 at the other end of shaft 14 couples shaft 74 to a shaft I1 held in a journal 78 mounted on a standard 19. The wheel I6 is fastened on shaft 11. The standard 19 is in the form of a hollow cylinder which fits over and is rotatable on a vertical post 19a extending upwardly from a subbase 19b fastened to the table by suitable bolts or the like; and a setscrew 79d through the standard 19 will serve to fasten the standard in any desired angular position on the post 19a.

The lower end of post 19a protrudes downwardly beneath the table and through a hole in roller support I9 and is threaded to receive a nut [96 which tightens up against member I9 so that member I9 can be pivoted on member 19a. The opposite end I9a of member I9 is provided with an elongated slot I9b (see Fig. 1), so that a set screw'I9c can pass upwardly through the slot and thread into one or the other of threaded holes I9d or I9e in the table. This will enable the roller I8 to be extended over a range of angular positions relative to the direction of the saw cuts; and ordinarily the roller I8 will be substantially aligned with the axis of wheel I6 as shown in Fig. 1.

To provide space for the saw travel, the bottom portion of the straight-edge I3 will be cut out at I31) and the guide I 03 will be cut out at I03a (Fig. 10) in line with the opening I06 through the table, and the top of the table will have a corresponding cut-out I06a in line with cut out I06 which may be covered by a cover I01a.

An inking wheel 19a idles on the end of 2. 8| fastened in a swivel 82 on the top of a standard 83 which extends from standard 19.

The mechanism just described makes cuts 84 in strips of wood or other similar material in the form shown in Fig. 8, and when the saw is properly adjusted, the cuts go only partway through the strip, as shown, the wood or material whichis left between the cuts being the ties of the model railroad track bed. In its operation, the motor 24 constantly turns the rotary saw bladesywhile the motor 42 is turning the saw means mounted on said carriage, a powerdrive means for reciprocating the carriage and advancing the work piece; said power-drive means comprising an advancing wheel in contact with the top of the work piece for advancing said work piece along the guide, said advancingwheel being operable in intermittent angular motions from said power-drive means through a cam and follower, the cam causing said intermittent motions of the wheel, and a crank means reciprocating the carriage and correlated with the cam to produce reciprocating strokes of the carriage at intervals between the intermittent angular motions of the wheel, said table being provided with a slot transverse to the direction of movement of the workpiece, and the guide has a transverse recessed passage at its lower side aligned with the slot, through which thetop of the rotary saw protrudes, the main part of the saw being beneath the table, and'the wheel being located above the table and above the workpiece, whereby the saw cuts only the lower part of the workpiece.

' 2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the means for producing the intermittent angular advancements of the wheel comprises a ratchet wheel having teeth and a notching finger correlated with said teeth which advance the ratchet wheel in response to movement of the cam, and a pawl engaging the teeth to prevent backlash, said pawl being adjustable relative to the teeth for establishing exact advancement of the wheel.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the guide comprises a straight edge which is attached'on the top of the table; and angular r0,- tation of the advancing wheel advances the work piece along the straight edge.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the guide comprises a curved wall adapted to guide a curved work piece.

? 5. Apparatus according to claim 4 in which the advancing wheel is mounted on a shaft substantially parallel to the table top and pivoted at a position approximately at the radius of curvature of the guide.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which a 'roller is provided beneath the work piece guide -and the top of the roller is very slightly above the level of the table top, so that the work piece in advancing, moves along the top of said roller, and the roller and the advancing wheel are adapted to be moved to different angular posi- '.tions relative to the path of the saw stroke to accommodate curved workpieces.

7. A slot cutting machine adapted to cut model railroad track ties, said machine comprising a table on which the work pieceis placed, a guide.

on the table for guiding the advancement of the Work piece, a rotary saw means rotatable on a reciprocating axis transverse to the direction of advancement of the work piece, and a power drive means for reciprocating the saw axisand advancing the work piece, said power drive means comprising an advancing wheel in friction contact with the upper surface of the work piece for advancing the work piece along the guide, said advancing wheel being rotatable in intermittent angular motions from said power drive means through an intermittent angular movement device, and means for reciprocating the saw wheel axis, said reciprocating means being correlated with the angular movement produ'cing means whereby the reciprocating movementsof the saw axis occur between the intermittent-"angular movements of "the advancing wheel, and a recessed passage through the lower portion of the guide" aligned with the path of which guides the movement of a workpiece, a reciprocating carriage movable back and forth in a path which intersects the direction of movement of the workpiece, a power operated rotary saw means mounted on said carriage and movable through a passageway through the table, with only the upper portion of the saw protruding above the table, a recess through the workpiece guide and aligned with the passageway through the table, to accommodate the saw means, a power drive means ,for reciprocating the carriage and advancing the workpiece'in correlation with the reciprocation of the carriage, said power drive means comprising an advancing wheel for making frictional contact with the top of the workpiece for advancing the workpiece along the guide, said advancing wheelbeing mounted on a substantially horizontal shaft and driven from the drive, means pivotally supporting said horizontal shaft above the table so that the advancing wheel can assume different angular positions at the top of the workpiece, and means for rotating the advancing wheel in successive intermittent movements correlated with successive reciprocations of the saw means.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9 in which a roller is placed beneath the workpiece and rotatable on a horizontal shaft which is pivoted at substantially the vertical axis of said pivotally supporting means, and means for securing the roller shaft at different angular positions relative to the pivot.

11. Apparatus according to' claim said workpiece guide is curved.

12. Apparatus according to claim 9 in which said advancing wheel is driven by shaft means having articulate linkages to accommodate the different angular positions.

AUGUST A. KNIFF.

9 'in which REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 291,155 Compton Jan. 1, 1884 293,037 Kautz Feb. 5, 1884 335,833 Oetzel Feb. 9, 1886 404,377 Barnes June 4, 1889 636,170 Palmer Oct. 31, 1899 702,360 Dwight June 10, 1902 705,483 Tidey July 22, 1902 733,063 Marsh July 7, 1903 881,064 Favreau Mar. 3, 1908 1,049,019 Whelan Dec. 31, 1912 1,067,360 McSorley July 15, 1913 1,346,269 Smith July 13,, 1920 1,715,206 McDonough May 28, 1929 1,735,216 Sims Nov. 12, 1929 

